Hinge joint for connecting longitudinal members



gc. MQCHAMBERLAIN 1,724,694

HINGE JOINT FOR CONNECTING LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS Filed July 1, 1927lwuentoz Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HINGE JOINT FOR CONNECTING LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS.

Application filed July 1, 1927.

This invention relates to hinged joints for allowing a bar or series ofbars to be either folded upon each other, or extended in alignment, and,while it is particularly applicable for use in the extension shafts andhandles of hydraulic jacks, it will be found useful in any otherapplication in which it is desired to collapse or fold a longitudinalmember. The invention will be described herein as applied to a jackhandle, it being understood that its application is not limited to thisuse.

The principal object of this invention is to provide hinge means forfolding a longitudinal member which will rigidly maintain the member ineither the extended or folded position.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a longitudinal member,such as a jack handle, with a crank or operating member which will behinged therein and so arranged that when in the operating position itwill be maintained rigidly in place.

A further object is to provide a jack handle, without loose parts, whichmay be easily folded to occupy a minimum of space and quickly extendedfor use.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention as applied to the handle andextension shaft of a hydraulic jack.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ack handle of Fig. 1 in the .foldedposition.

Figs. 3, a and 5 are side, end, and top views, respectively, of the endhinge of the handle.

Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal section through themiddle hinge of thehandle.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the middle hinge looking upwardly on Fig. 6.

As applied to a jack handle, the invention comprises, a firstlongitudinal member 10, preferably of tubing. The member 10 car- SerialNo. 202,770.

ries at its one extremity a socket 11, provided with any of the usualmeans, such as indicated at 12, for attaching it to the shaft 13 of ahydraulic jack, indicated at 1 1. The other extremity of the member 10carries a sleeve 15 riveted or otherwise secured thereon. The sleeve 15partially'surrounds the extremity of the member 10, and is providedwith. two parallel projecting cars 16. In each of the cars 16 anL-shaped slot 17 is formed, which, for a portion of its length, extendsalong the axis of the member 10, and, for another portion, extends atright angles thereto.

A second longitudinal member 18, also preferably of tubing, is arrangedto fit within the open extremity of the sleeve 15 and carries a bolt 19which passes through the two slots 17. \Vhen the longitudinal membersare in alignment, as shown in Fig. 1, the extremity of the member 18fits within tie sleeve and the bolt 19 rides in the extremity of theaxial portion of the slot 17. The two members may be locked in theextended position by means of a wing nut 20 so as to maintain themrigidly in alignment.

WVhen it is desired to fold the member 18 upon the member 10, the wingnut is loosened and the member 18 drawn away from the member 10, causingthe bolt to ride to the turn in the L-shaped slots 17, and the member 18to leave the enclosure of the sleeve 15. The member 18 may then be swungbetween the two ears 16, the bolt traveling the remaining distance inthe right angle portion of the slot 17, to the position of Fig. 2, inwhich position the two members may be rigidly locked by tightening thewing nut 20.

The other extremity of the member 18 carries a hinge member 21 fixedthereon. The hinge member 21 partially surrounds the member 18, as shownin Fig. 7, its open extremity being squared as shown at 28, Fig. 4;. Twosides of the squared portion are extended upwardly, forming oppositelypositioned cars 22, in which a handle member 23 is pivoted by mea s o ap vot p The handle member is pivoted so as to leave a free extremity 29to pass into the squared portion 28. In the operating position, thehandle member 23 extends at right angles to the member 18, it beingrigidly maintained in this position by the enclosing sides of thesquared portion of the hinge member 21. In the folded position, thehandle lies along the member 18, as shown in Fig. 2.

In a jack handle, it is necessary that the handle member 28 transmittorsional movement to the member 18. A simple pivot for this purposewould not stand the strain and wear necessary to twist the member 18. Itis desired to call attention to the fact, however, that in thisinvention, when the handle member is in the extended position, itsextremity is firmly clamped between the two sides of the hinge member21, which acts as a socket to receive the twisting motion of the handlewithout strain upon the pivot pin 24.

In the usual construction the sleeve 15 is suhicient to give therequired longitudinal rigidity to the members 10 and 18. How ever,should additional rigidity be required, a cylindrical plug 25 (see Fig.6) may be secured so as to project beyond the extremity of the mem er 10and so as to pass into the extremity of the member 18 when the membersare in alignment. This plug furnishes support for the interior of themember 18 to co-operate with the support furnished the exterior by theenclosing sleeve 15.

In an extension jack handle, it is desirable that the socket 11 havesome freedom of movement on the member 10 to accommodate anyinequalities in the placing of the jack, to allow the handle to beraised to a more convenient operating position, and to prevent theliability of the handle or jack shaft 13 being bent or broken by anaccidental upsetting of the jack. I provide for this by forming anenlarged depression 26 in the socket 11 to receive the extremity of themember 10 which is pivoted thereon on a pin 27. This enlarged depressionallows a semiuniversal movement of the member 10 with reference to thesocket.

lVhile a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is A hinge joint for connecting a first longitudinalmember to a second longitudinal member comprising: two longitudinalmembers, ears secured to and projecting from the first longitudinalmember, each ear having an L-shaped slot extending longitudinally of andat right angles to said first member; a projection on said second memberadapted to ride in said slot and a plug projecting from the extremity ofsaid first member, said second member being provided with an opening forthe reception of said plug when said members are in the extendedposition.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature.

CLARENCE M. CHAMBERLAIN.

